A Forum for Orthodox Jewish thought on Halacha, Hashkafa, and the social issues of our time.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Déjà Vu All Over Again?

Shooting victims William Corporon and Reat Griffin Underwood

There have been a couple of anti Semitic incidents in the
world lately that may have many Jews questioning whether we are once again in
danger of anther Holocaust. In fact I have heard a lot of prominent people saying,
‘Beware! It’s 1938 all over again’.

I am not one of those. I recall a lecture given by
Rebbetzin Esther Jungries saying
this several years ago in response to Iran’s promises to wipe Israel off the
map while pursuing nuclear weapons. As a survivor of the Holocaust her words took on some urgency. She sounded the alarm saying that new Hitler
was just around the corner in Iran. This was in 2006, 8 years ago. I was skeptical then
and I am skeptical now.

One of the 2 events I am referring to took place at a Jewish Center and at an assisted living
facility in Overland Park, Kansas. Frazier Glenn Cross (AKA Miller) an avowed racist and anti Semite shot and killed 3 people. He probably
assumed they were Jewish. They were not. But the government considers it a hate
crime. As it should. He said ‘Heil Hitler’ as he was being transported away in a police vehicle.

Shooting victim Terri LaManno

(As an aside - my heart goes out to the friends and families
that are experiencing this sudden and unexpected loss just because some violent
racist anti Semite assumed they were Jews. I think I can speak for the entire
Jewish community in expressing our own horror at this and our sincere
condolences. From all that has been reported, the victims were fine
people who were highly thought of in their communities. I cannot imagine the
pain their friends and families must be going through. (Why is it always the
good people that seem to suffer the most?!)

The second event is a distribution of leaflets in the Ukrainian city of Donetskwhose residents are mostly pro Russian:. From USA Today:

Jews emerging from a synagogue say they were handed leaflets
that ordered the city's Jews to provide a list of property they own and pay a
registration fee "or else have their citizenship revoked, face deportation
and see their assets confiscated..."

Shades of Nazi Germany! Except that the leaders of rebel Russian sympathizers deny they had anything to do with that. They insist that Jews will
be welcome citizens in their new enterprise – be it as a part of Russia or as
some sort of satellite country under Russian influence. They claim these
leaflets were distributed by the Ukrainian government in an attempt to make
them look bad.

I don’t know if that’s true. But I tend to believe that the
rebels did not initiate anything like that. They would have to be the biggest
fools in the world to turn themselves into the 21st century version
of Nazi Germany. And I say this knowing full well that the Ukrainians have an
inglorious history with respect to the Jewsih people. I don’t think there were too
many people in Europe – pre-Holocaust - that were more anti Semitic that native
Ukrainians. My father lived there. He has first had experience with them. So
even if there is some residual Antisemitism there now - and I believe there probably
is – there is no way they would ever want to be seen as Russian speaking Nazis.

So are we now living in the 21st century version
of 1938? Hardly. Joseph Aaron, publisher of the Chicago Jewish News often says in answer to the constant whining by some about all the anti-Semitism in the world - that Jews
have never had it so good. We are living in unprecedented times. I agree with him. We are no more
in danger of a Holocaust than we are of the sky falling. Which is what seems
the alarmists among us want us to believe.

In fact the biggest problem facing Jewry in America today - is the
biggest proof of our acceptance. Rampant assimilation and intermarriage is a direct result of our acceptance into general society.
Jews are now in every field of endeavor in the US… from the corporate boardroom
to the halls of science and academia to the news and entertainment industry. Jews can be found in high places in all
areas, including the government.

Congress is filled with far more Jews that our percentages in the population. Jews are
marrying American Royalty to great acclaim – as was the case when a Jewish man married
Chelsea Clinton in a mostly Jewish looking ceremony. The last three Presidents
have had Jews in high places in their government including observant Jews. One (Jack Lew) as director
of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). One (Michael Mukasey) as Attorney General. And one as the Secretary of
the Treasury (Again, Jack Lew).

The fact is that not only have the people of the United
States fully accepted us into their hearts (with some notable fringe group
exceptions) - it is now cool to be Jewish, I'm told. And the rest of the world has moved in that direction too. Although they have a long way to go before they catch up with the United States

While it’s
true that much of leftist academia is sympathetic to the Palestinian cause
thereby being totally unsympathetic to Israel, they do not reflect popular
opinion. And even among those in Academia who side with Palestinians, there are many who
are not necessarily anti Semitic (although certainly some of them are). They are simply misguided
about the facts and history of the situation.

Then there is the one thing I keep coming back to - which to me shows
the high level of approval that the Jewish people have: Joseph Lieberman. When
he was chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate by Al Gore, Gore’s 10% deficit
in the polls behind candidate George Bush disappeared. When people were polled
about whether Lieberman’s Sabbath observance would be a hindrance to his job if
he were to become President, they gave a surprising answer. Those who were on
the fence and switched to Gore did so because of Lieberman’s religiosity. They
felt that a religious man in office would be a plus in his favor – making his
decisions more ethical. In other words, they perceived Judaism to be an ethical religion. And as we all know Gore/Lieberman won the
popular vote.

If all this is pre-Holocaust activity, I’ll take it. What
about Frazier Glenn Cross and the Ukrainian Antisemites? Yes we still have to be vigilant.
But to say this is 1938 pre-Holocaust Déjà
Vu all over again (hat tip, Yogi Berra) ? No possible way!

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About Me

My outlook on Judaism is based mostly on the teachings of my primary Rebbe, Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik from whom I received my rabbinic ordination. It is also based on a search for spiritual truth. Among the various sources that put me on the right path, two great philosophic works stand out: “Halakhic Man” and “Lonely Man of Faith” authored by the pre-eminent Jewish philosopher and theologian, Rabbi, Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Of great significance is Rabbi, Dr. Norman Lamm's conceptualization and models of Torah U’Mada and Dr. Eliezer Berkovits who introduced me to the world of philosophic thought. Among my early influences were two pioneers of American Elementary Torah Chinuch, Rabbis Shmuel Kaufman and Yaakov Levi. The Yeshivos I attended were Yeshivas Telshe for early high school and more significantly, the Hebrew Theological College where for a period of ten years, my Rebbeim included such great Rabbinic figures as Rabbis Mordechai Rogov, Shmaryahu Meltzer, Yaakov Perlow, Herzl Kaplan, and Selig Starr. I also attended Roosevelt University where I received my Bachelors Degree - majoring in Psychology.